


It's The Beginning (Of The End)

by Aizu (ratpenatu)



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Besides Gabriel Because He Is Busy Trying To Find Him, Conspiracy Theories, Established Relationship, It's Not Paranoia If They're Really Out To Get You, Jack Goes MIA And Everyone Freaks Out, Kinda, M/M, Minor Original Character(s), Missing in Action, Pre-Fall of Overwatch, References to Depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-18 05:04:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9369215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ratpenatu/pseuds/Aizu
Summary: Jack goes missing and Gabriel tries to find out what happened before it's too late.Unfotunately for him, Jack doesn't want to be found. But he doesn't want to leave Gabriel in the dark, either.





	

**Author's Note:**

> for reaper76 week, day 3 "“At Your Back” - _trust/betrayal_
> 
> also, don't worry, there's no character death in this, i promise.

 

"Love your country, but never trust its government."

~ _Robert A. Heinlein_

 

Strike Commander Jack Morrison had been missing for 13 hours.

 

Security footage shows him leaving his office, unarmed and missing his signature duster and eyepiece, exactly 16 minutes after 7 pm. He walks to the elevators, politely greeting three agents and two guards he meets on the way. The walk takes him 4 minutes and he waits another 43 seconds for the elevator to arrive. He goes inside, alone, rides down to the ground floor, standing still the whole 2 minutes and 8 seconds. He steps out into the main hallway, almost colliding with a research scientist, blends with the evening crowd loitering at the main entrance and walks out of the building, undisturbed, at 19 hours 24 minutes and 22 seconds. No one heard from him since.

 

“Go back to seventeen point oh nine. Stop.”

 

Gabriel stared at the paused image of Jack nodding his head at the three saluting agents, two women and one man. The colour and identifications on their uniforms indicated that all of them belonged to the same senior ground strike team.

 

“Any luck contacting Indigo Alpha?” Gabe asked without taking his eyes from the screen.

 

“No. Radio Silence since the start of the mission,” Ana answered in a terse voice, tapping away on her holocom.

 

Gabe’s hands clenched around each other where they were resting at the small of his back. Questioning the three agents was the first thing he wanted to do when he saw the recording but their team left on a assignment this morning and wasn’t due back for another 3 days.

 

He already spoke with the guards Jack walked by on their patrol. They hadn’t reported anything unusual and were generally useless to Gabriel’s great frustration.

 

“And the whitecoat? Has she arrived yet? Go to twenty-two point five oh. Play.”

 

While the computer carried out his command, Gabe looked over his shoulder at Ana. There was a tension in her posture he hadn’t seen since the worst days of the Omnic War. As the second-in-command, she had an office right across Jack’s and the two of them were supposed to meet yesterday at 8 in the senior officers’ lounge but when he failed to show up, she just sent him an angry message for standing her up, knocked down a few shots and went to her quarters for an early night.

 

“Just drove through the front gate.”

 

Unlike most agents, ordinary members of the research teams didn’t have accomodation within the base premises. The scientist Jack ran into at the elevators was named Lily Liú and she had been on her way to a night shift in the labs. She left for home at 6 am. Jack’s PA had noticed he was missing at around 7 am when he didn’t answer any of her four calls and notified Ana of his absence. After inspecting Jack’s office, personal quarters and security footage, Ana contacted Gabriel. A little before 8 am a full-scale investigation into Jack’s disappearance had been launched and a car had been sent to drive Dr. Liú back to the base.

 

“Set her up in a room and make someone bring her coffee. I want her at least a _little_ bit awake for this,” Gabe said and brought a hand to his beanie, sighing heavily. He took it off and brushed his unruly locks with his fingers. What had Jack been _thinking_?

 

Back on the screen, Jack strides out of the elevator in that usual power walk of his and runs straight into Dr. Liú, grabbing her shoulders to avoid a full-body collision. He stops for a second, his mouth forming words that Gabriel wished he could hear. He gives the women a parting smile and walks away.

 

“When was the last time you spoke to Jack?”

 

Gabe blinked and turned his head to Ana again but she wasn’t looking back at him. He shrugged and glanced down at beanie still held by his hands.

 

“I don’t know. Three, four days ago? A short call about the new recruits,” he answered, putting the black beanie back on his head. “There’s a lot of things on our heads lately. We’ve been... going through a rough patch.”

 

“Yeah, I know,” Ana snorted. She finished with the holocom and crossed her arms, still clutching the device tightly.

 

“He spoke to you about it?” Gabe couldn’t help but ask. Jack and Ana were close, true, but Jack had always been a very private person. Surely things weren’t so bad that he would…?

 

“No, not really.” Ana shook her head. She took a deep breath. “It’s just… I didn’t think it was anything big but Jack’s been… off, I guess? Working non-stop, staying in his office day and night, refusing to socialize — politely, of course — but still, it wasn’t like him, you know? That’s why I wanted him to come to the lounge with me yesterday, I wanted to talk to him about it, have a few drinks, see if anything's wrong. God, I should have went to his office straight away, fucking _hell._ ”

 

She brought her hands to her eyes and took another deep breath. Gabriel focused on the wall behind her.

 

“Today, his PA said to me he’s been throwing away the lunches she brings him,” Ana added quietly. “Gabe, do think that Jack…? That he would…? Fuck, I can’t even _say_ it.”

 

“No,” Gabriel said firmly, suddenly alarmed. “He would never do that. It’s probably just him being his usual dumb self. Went on a walk, found a lost child, help them get back home and stayed the night in the city, something ridiculous like that. We gonna find him and then I’m gonna beat his stupid ass for making us worry like that.”

 

There was a soft _ping_ and Ana looked at her holocom.

 

“Let’s hope that you’re right,” she sighed. “Dr. Liú is ready for you. Room oh two nine.”

 

***

 

Gabriel walked out the security room feeling wrong. There was a bitter taste at the back of his throat. He would had been the first to notice if Jack wasn't feeling... _well_.

 

Right?

 

He began walking down the hallway, taking his work phone out, which, honestly, was becoming the only phone he carried. The only people who still called him on the private one were Jack and very really Reinhardt, who was currently stationed at a different base. Gabe felt a pang of nostalgia. Everyone from the old team went their separate ways. Even those who still saw each other at work. When was the last time he sat down with Ana, shared a cup of tea with her, asked about little Fareeha? How old was she now anyway? She probably wasn’t even little anymore.

 

The screen told him it was 9:33 AM. Gabe pressed his thumb over the picture of Jack dozing off while wearing Gabriel’s worn-out Blackwatch hoodie and the fingerprint reader unlocked his phone for him. He pressed on the second most dialed number.

 

“ _Boss_!” Jesse’s voice called out almost immediately. He sounded slightly out of breath. “ _Hey. What’s goin’ on? I heard there’s some trouble in the main building? People are freaking out, everything's so hush hush. Do you need me there_?”

 

Gabe sighed. The hallway he was in was mostly deserted, only a few guards still making rounds. People got orders to stay in and wait till the situation has been resolved but there was no official statement about Jack’s disappearance.

 

“No. Stay where you are. I need you to take care of things for now. Boyscout is MIA.”

 

“ _Whoa. You serious_?” Jesse waited exactly one second before continuing, “ _Holy shit, you are serious. Fuck. If you are bringing a team for a rescue mission, you have to take me with you, you know that, right_?”

 

“No. McCree, fuck, just calm down.” Gabe pressed a palm against his face, stopping in the middle of the hallway. “Not that kind of MIA. He went out last night and haven’t came back since. Didn’t take his phone or eyepiece, either. Only If he doesn’t show up in 24 hours, we will get a clear for taking it outside. For now, the investigation stays internal. Understood?”

 

“... _Yes, sir,_ ” was Jesse terse reply.

 

“Good. I will keep you posted. Just don’t let those idiots burn Blackwatch to the ground while I’m over here, okay?”

 

“ _Sure thing, Boss. But you know you can count on me if anything happens, yeah_?”

 

Gabe rolled his eyes.

 

“Yes, yes,” he said, gesturing with his hand. “You imprinted on me a long time ago, you ugly little duckling. I gotta go now. Bye.”

 

He stared at the phone’s background for a moment after the call disconnected before pocketing it away. Ever since Ana called him almost two hours ago, the day felt unreal, as if he never woke up in the morning and just carried on living in a dream.

 

_Or a nightmare_ , a tiny voice in his mind suggested helpfully, _a nightmare where Jack is gone and never found, a nightmare where you come too late_ , _a nightmare you never wake up from once it becomes true._

 

“I won’t let that happen,” Gabe growled to himself quietly.

 

He strode the remaining distance with renewed determination, turning a corner and heading straight to the door guarded by two Overwatch agents.

 

“Sir!” Both of them saluted at the sight of him. He nodded briskly, letting them know it’s okay to rest and silently entered the room.

 

Dr. Liú was sitting at the table with one of her hands supporting her drooping head while the other clutched at the plastic cup of cheap vending machine coffee. She was out of her lab coat, wearing instead a pair of sweats and a brightly patterned cardigan. She didn’t appear to notice his entrance and Gabriel made a mental note to ask Ana to give the poor woman a bonus with her next salary.

 

He sat in the chair in front of her and when she still didn’t react, he gently put a hand on her arm.

 

“Dr. Liú?”

 

She came with a start, her eyes widening at the sight of him.

 

“C-Commander Reyes, sir,” she stuttered, straightening in her seat. “I got ready as fast as I could.”

 

Gabriel took back his hand and laced his fingers together.

 

“We appreciate it. The matter is very time-sensitive,” he said, trying to sound as nonthreatening as he could. “We just need you to answer some questions for us and then the car will drive you back home.”

 

Dr. Liú nodded her head, rubbing a corner of her eye. The room was brightly lit and it probably gave her a headache as much as it kept her from falling asleep. Best to make it quick.

 

Gabriel pulled out a holopad.

 

“Yesterday, at 7:20 PM you clocked in at the entrance for a night shift, is that right?” At the quiet confirmation, Gabe continued, “You walked to the elevators, where you ran into Strike Commander Morrison. You exchanged a few words and then went on your way. Now, I need you to think carefully and tell me exactly what those words were and if there was anything about Commander Morrison that seemed unusual or caught your attention.”

 

A small frown appeared on her face.

 

“I…” she started before taking a sip of her coffee. “I was… a little shocked to see Commander Morrison. I never met him personally and suddenly he was there, grabbing my arms so I don’t fall over. He said… He said, _whoops, didn’t see you there_ , as unbelieveable as that sounds. He apologized and asked if I was alright. I was, um, a little bit flustered so I just nodded. He smiled at me, walked away and I realized the elevator doors were closing on me and dived for them. Rode to my floor, started my shift, that’s it, really.”

 

“Was there anything about Commander Morisson that caught your eye? Details you think may be unimportant?” Gabriel asked, putting the holopad on the table between them.

 

A light blush appeared on Dr. Liú’s face and her eyes glanced away from him for a second. Gabriel internally cursed Jack’s ability to charm almost every person he meets.

 

“He wasn’t wearing his coat. The tech from his eye was also missing, now that I think of it. It was weird to see him in so, um, few layers. I remember I turned back to watch him walk away because of it.”

 

_Yeah, sure_ , Gabe thought, forcing the little flare of jealousy to stay down. It wasn’t the time to be petty. _I am sure that’s the only reason you turned back._

 

“I- There’s something I noticed that I thought was weird but I’m not sure? It was just a quick look and well, I wasn’t really-”

 

“What was it?” Gabriel cut in on her nervous babble, as gently as he could muster.

 

“There was a gauze on his neck? Or at least, I think so? It was white, square and sticking out from beneath his shirt. I probably wouldn’t notice it at all if the shirt wasn’t black and such a huge contrast.”

 

A gauze?

 

Was Jack hurt? How? He didn’t lead field missions that often these days and certainly not in the last three months. Gabe would have to ask Ana to check in the Infirmary for Jack’s medical files.

 

“Anything else? It’s important that you tell us everything you can.”

 

“No, I’m sorry,” Dr. Liú said, shaking her head and biting her lips. “I really don’t know what else to say.”

 

She looked genuinely distressed about it, too.

 

Gabriel sighed, tapping lightly on the table.

 

“Thank you, Doctor. Please, contact us if you remember anything.” Gabriel stood up, taking the holopad with him. He started writing down the new information. “I will have someone escort you back to the car. Thank you for your cooperation.”

 

“Wait!”

 

Gabriel stopped and turned his head back. “Yes?”

 

“Did something happen to Commander Morrison? Is he alright?”

 

Her eyes seemed suddenly awake, open wide despite being shadowed with exhaustion. She almost got off her chair in her haste to stop him. Gabriel counted his breaths, reached five and faced the door again.

 

“I’m sorry but that’s classified. Goodbye, Doctor.”

 

He walked out, closing the door behind him with a soft click. The two agents perked up at his sight. He assigned them with making sure Dr. Liú got safely back home. When they went into the room, Gabe stepped away, pulled out his phone and dialed Ana.

 

“ _How did it go_?”

 

Gabriel smiled faintly at her no-nonsense tone. Typical Ana, going straight to the point. There’s a reason why she and Gabe became such good friends.

 

“Terrible. Remind me again what’s so special about Jack that makes people lose their _goddamned minds_ at the mere sight of him?”

 

“ _I don’t know. Ask the ring that hangs around your neck._ ”

 

“Touché.” Gabriel’s hand instinctively went to his chest. His fingers couldn’t feel it through the multiple layers of clothes he was wearing but his skin could, when the golden band pressed against his breastbone.

 

There was a sound of opening and closing doors behind Gabe’s back, as well as three pairs of footsteps.

 

“ _Well_?”

 

Gabriel focused back on Ana’s voice.

 

“She knows nothing useful,” he replied. “But she said Jack had a gauze on his neck.”

 

“ _A gauze_?” Ana repeated, confused. “ _As in a badange? He was injured_?

 

“Maybe. You heard anything about it?”

 

“ _No. You know he heals quickly. And neither of you get hurt easily, too._ ”

 

“That’s what worries me. If it was an injury it must have been fairly recent.”

 

Gabe didn’t like the feeling that was beginning to form inside his chest. It was alarmingly similar to dread.

 

“ _What now_?”

 

Yes, what now? Gabriel breathed out, looking upwards at the bare  ceiling. He was all alone now in a hallway that normally buzzed with life. Somewhere there was a camera, filming his silent figure just as it did to Jack. He wondered if Jack would have been able to tell what he was thinking, standing there, staring at nothing, hand pressing a phone against an ear.

 

“I think I will go look around his office,” Gabe spoke after a moment, dropping his gaze. “Could you go check his medical files and make sure he isn’t secretly terminally ill or some shit?”

 

“ _Stop_ ,” Ana said with an angry note in her voice. “ _Now is not the time for jokes, Gabe.”_

 

“Leave my coping mechanisms alone, woman,” Gabriel replied with a scowl of his own. “I am going. Let me know if you find anything.”

 

He waited for confirmation before ending the call. To the top floor, it is.

 

***

 

Gabriel couldn’t remember the last time he was in Strike Commander office without Jack also being inside. It was dark when he first walked in, all of the windows covered with reinforced metal shutters. A quick press on the panel next to the door filled the room with imitated natural light. Gabriel grimaced at the absurdity of it. No wonder Jack had gotten so pale lately.

 

The office was spacious, glaringly so with the desk being the only big furniture. There were some shelves on the walls, a tall potted plant here and there, a few small cabinets overflowing with confidentials documents on the far side and two armchairs planted in front of the desk for those rare guests.

 

Gabriel slowly walked to the middle of the room, trailing his eyes on the floor, looking for any sight of blood.

 

Nothing.

 

When he reached the desk, Gabe took off his glove and put his naked hand on its cold black surface. There it was, Jack’s workstation, the center of his world. Two curved monitors, a holo keyboard, the room’s control panel and another one of Jack’s ridiculous plants, this time a clay-red pot with a tall and healthy looking aloe vera. Or at least Gabe thought it was aloe vera. Jack always refered to it as "Rupert".

 

Everything was clean and orderly, with a thin coat of dust that had gathered in Jack’s short absence. _Very_ thin coat. Gabriel narrowed his eyes. He dragged his fingers through it. No mug stains? No clattered papers? Nothing?

 

He moved his eyes to the black swivel chair, rolled carelessly away from the desk. The Strike Commander’s coat hung on its back, the eagle pin proudly displayed on the wide white lapels. Gabriel could recall the countless times when he walked in here, Jack looking up at the sound of opening doors, smiling, sitting back and leaning against the back of his chair, the blue of that coat framing his figure. An inviting tap on his thighs, Gabriel’s rolling his eyes in a reply, a fond smirk and an even fonder _we both know you’d rather sit on my lap, cabrón_.

 

Gabriel grabbed one of the sleeves, rubbing the familiar material between his fingers. Why would Jack leave it behind if he knew he was going out? He never did that. It was… _expected_ of him as the Strike Commander to always look the part in public and he knew it well. It came to him so easily, too, when he first took on the title.

 

So, _so_ easily.

 

He let the sleeve fall from his grasp. Only then did he notice the eyepiece lying on the seat of the chair. It was switched off, its usual blue glow gone. He picked it up, looking it over. Jack took good care of it and Gabe would dare say he was even emotionally attached to that piece of tech. And well, he did look good in it. Especially while it was the only thing he was wearing. Gabe remembered one memorable evening when Jack recorded the–

 

Gabriel’s eyes widened.

 

Jack used this thing to film stuff all the time. Like his missions or brainstorming sessions when he paced the room and talked to himself out loud. It was very amusing to witness and even more so to interrupt. All the files were automatically sent and saved on his private tablet, the two devices permanently connected with each other, and while Gabriel never messed with the thing, respecting Jack’s privacy, he knew what it looked like.

 

He left the eyepiece on the desk and started to look through Jack’s desk in search of the tablet. In one of the drawers he found a small white bottle of antiseptic and a package of sterile dressing pads. He laid them out next to the eyepiece without a word.

 

When he checked every possible place and there was still no sign of the device, Gabriel fell onto the chair, put his elbows on the desk and covered his face with his hands. He could smell the sharp, overbearing odour of antiseptic in the air. His thoughts were spiraling out of control. What was Jack thinking? What had he _done_? What was going on? And why the hell didn’t he tell Gabriel about any of it?!

 

A clenched fist hit the desk with a loud hollow thud. Gabriel stilled at the sound. Slowly, he sank to the floor, reaching into the empty leg space and feeling around the underside.

 

There was a _click_ and when Gabriel rose to his feet again, a sleek black tablet was resting in his hands. He sat back down, rolling the chair closer to the desk, and switched it on.

 

It came to life and immediately asked for a fingerprint sample. Gabriel scowled, tightening his hold on the device. He pressed his thumb to the screen, anyway, and startled when it actually got accepted and the tablet unlocked. Jack, Ana and Gabriel himself stared at him from the background picture, all three of them smiling and dressed in civilian clothes. Gabe ignored the tingly feeling in his chest and went straight for the videos folder.

 

A long list of unnamed logs opened up, organized chronologically, starting from the newest to the latest. The second entry was an exception. It was simply named _gabriel_ in a lowercase. Gabe stopped himself from blindly clicking on it. The file was dated three days ago while the one at the top was saved yesterday, just a couple of minutes before Jack left his office.

 

Still, after a moment of hovering his finger in the air, he pressed it over his name.

 

Jack appeared on the screen. He was sitting exactly where Gabe was sitting right now. His coat was there on his shoulders but the eyepiece was missing, probably put on the desk so it could film Jack himself and not only what was in front of him. He exhaled softly and Gabriel swallowed down the sudden burst of feeling at finally being able to _hear_ Jack again.

 

Sound meant _real_ , sound meant _here_ , sound meant _alive_ , and it was a relief even if not exactly the truth.

 

Back on the screen, Jack was playing with the golden band around his ring finger, his expression solemn, almost glum. When he smiled, there was no mirth in it.

 

“I do hope it’s a first thing you clicked on,” he started, still not looking directly into the camera.

 

He stilled his hands, lacing them together and letting them rest on the desk.

 

“You know,” Jack spoke again. “A lot has changed – _we’ve_ changed – but at the core you are still the same _incredibly_ intense man I fell in love with all those years ago.”

 

He looked up, his back straightening, face forming that soft expression he got whenever their shared past was being brought up.

 

“I admired you from the beginning. Since that very first moment they’ve introduced us. I remember I was so distracted later on you knocked me out cold in a sparring match,” he chuckled, smiling faintly. “Fell in love pretty quick after that, but _trust_ ,” Jack paused. “I’ve always had problems with trust.”

 

The chair creaked slightly when Jack leaned back against it, crossing his arms over his chest.

 

“My mother would warn me about strangers every time I left the house. My father would tell me again and again how I can only depend on myself, that if I wanted something done well, I had to do it myself. And I would meet people, befriend them, smile at them and then _still_ watch their every move with suspicion. It did save my life a couple of times but it was… exhausting. Lonely.”

 

“But you,” Jack breathed out, closing his eyes. “You were different. I didn’t want to give you my trust but you took it. No,” he shook his head. “I _let_ you take it, you wrapped me around your little finger and I loved every single second of it, make no mistake. It amazed me how much you _gave_ _back_ instead of taking it all. Made me worried, too, because I know I’m not as good of a person as everyone thinks I am.”

 

Jack looked to the side, furrowing his eyebrows. “Am I even making sense right now?”

 

He shook his head again, taking a deep breath and moving closer to the screen.

 

“I’ve never trusted another person like I trust you. I want you to remember that, okay? I trust you. I’ve put my life into your hands a thousand times and I would do it again. But I am doing _this_ because I can’t. I can’t risk you. I’m sorry. It’s selfish but I have no choice. I wish I could tell you evrything but I can't, I can't, _I can't_.”

 

He clutched at his left hand, fingers beginning to rub the golden ring with renowned fervor.

 

“You have no idea how much I just want to curl up in your lap right now. To just forget about this whole mess and _be_ with you. _God_ , I love you so much and _I miss you_ and I never thought I’d say it but sometimes I miss the war, too. It all was so _simple_ back then, you know? No convoluted politics and any of that fucking bullshit. _Fuck._ ”

 

There was an undeniable shine to Jack’s eyes now and it took a visible effort for him to calm down. When he did, he looked straight into the camera, his face that of the Strike Commander.

 

“I need you to do something for me, Gabriel,” Jack said, serious but earnest. “Next time you see Jack Morrison, don’t trust him. No matter what happens, _don’t trust him_.”

 

He stayed still for a moment.

 

“That’s all I wanted to say,” he added quietly.

 

For the last time, Jack looked away.

 

“Recording stop.”

 

The video closed. A command prompt opened. Several lines of code flashed by. Bluescreen. Fade to black.

 

Gabriel stood up. Jack’s tablet fell to the floor. He took a shaky breath.

 

And run out of the room.

 

***

 

“Jesse. Jesse! Pick up the damn phone, you– Jesse! Mobilize the teams. And before you ask which teams, every single fucking one. I want this whole damned city searched. Every airport, bus stop, get your hands on every piece of security footage you can find from here to the fucking borders, do you understand me?”

 

His holocom chose this moment to ping him. And continued to do so. Priority message. Gabriel didn’t slow down for a second, taking two steps at the time. He had taken the stairs because keeping still now would _kill_ him.

 

“I don’t give a fuck about the 24 hours. The brass can go fuck themselves. Just do what I tell you, I will worry about the rest.”

 

He reached the ground level and strode towards the entrance.

 

“I need to talk with Ana and then I will meet you by the garages, and god fucking help you better be there, Jesse McCree, or I will–”

 

“Gabe!”

 

Gabriel stopped, turned around. Ana, hand raised, a grin on her face, walking towards him. Next to her no one else but Strike Commander Jack Morrison himself.

 

“ _Boss? Hello? Boss, you there? Gabriel–_ ”

 

_Click._

 

“Gabe, hey, why didn’t you read my messages?” Ana asked as soon as she was within normal speaking distance. “Look who showed up! And don’t worry I already let him know about our feelings towards the whole thing.”

 

Jack put a hand on his bruised cheek and laughed, wincing mockingly.

 

“Yeah, I got the message loud and clear,” Jack said. “You can have the other cheek if you want, Gabe. I know I shouldn’t have worried you guys like that.”

 

_No, you really shouldn't have._

 

“Gabe? Everything’s all right?” Ana put a hand on his shoulder when he didn’t answer Jack.

 

Gabriel flinched and took a step back, putting up a palm to stop their advances.

 

“Yeah, just, give me a moment,” he replied, closing his eyes.

 

When he looked up again, he gave Jack a once over. Sans the bruise and the missing coat and eyepiece, he looked the same. He looked like _Jack_.

 

“Hey,” Jack spoke up gently, taking Gabriel’s hands into his. “I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to scare any of you. Especially not you. Please, forgive me?”

 

Gabriel stared over Jack’s shoulder. Then he pushed into Jack’s space, moving his arms to embrace him, one of his hand resting on the small of his back while the other clutched at the nape of neck. He felt Jack hugging him back.

 

They parted after a moment.

 

“Where the hell have you been, you idiot!” Gabriel scowled and hit Jack on the shoulder. “I hope you have a good fucking excuse, _cabrón_.”

 

“Yeah, about that,” Jack smiled sheepishly. He glanced at Ana. “How about I go change and then meet you guys at the lounge? I will tell you everything, I swear.”

 

Ana snorted. “You better show up this time.”

 

“You know it,” Jack winked at her. “10 minutes tops. See ya!”

 

He run off in the direction of the elevators. Gabriel watched him go.

 

“You coming?” Ana asked, bumping her shoulder into his. “I already patched everything up. Things should go back to the norm in an hour or so.”

 

Distantly, Gabriel wondered what time it was.

 

“Go. I will catch up. I just need to give Jesse a quick call.”

 

She nodded and with a mock salute, trailed after Jack.

 

Gabriel waited till she disappeared from his sight and breathed out. He looked at his hand.

 

The skin on Jack’s neck had been unharmed.

 

***

 

“ _McCree. Change of plans. The situation just got confidential_.”

**Author's Note:**

> holocom - for short internal communication  
> holopad - basically a notepad  
> (smart)phones - for long distance communication 
> 
> future sure is great, aint it?


End file.
